Dog Breed Bans Are Not The Answer

I have often used the parallels between the gun control debate and the breed ban debate. Let’s start with some background.

Let’s start with the gun control debate

Notice: these videos are interviews of people from some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the US and in Brazil (I could have added additional countries). The residents all have guns even though their ownership is illegal. Their hardware is quite impressive. None of them have passed a background check. None of them went to a store and filled out a form or paid at a cash register. Yet they are armed to the teeth, probably better than your so-called redneck neighbor. And they all admit if there is trouble, and if they call the police for help, no one is coming. They are on their own. And this is also why you are afraid to go where they live. You are in even more danger, yet you can drive away because you don’t have to live in that circumstance. It is easy to preach to people, it isn't so easy to live like others and deal with what they are dealing with. Your laws don't do them any good. Your bans aren't working.

Let them eat cake, eh?

How does this relate to the dog breed bans? It is very easy to not only acquire a dog, it is easy to breed a dog, and it is easy to recreate whatever type of dog you want to get around any breed bans. 

There was a very interesting book by  Leon F. Whitney. He crossed Cocker Spaniels with Basenjis. He then backcrossed them. He developed dogs that looked like Cocker Spaniels but had the behavior of Basenjis. And he developed dogs that looked like Basenjis but behaved like Cocker Spaniels. He demonstrated other such crosses with other breeds. Some similar effects were done in Scott and Fuller’s experiments at Bar Harbor, and reflected in the results of their study. 

So, when breeds are banned, the dog bite incidents don’t go down. People switch to other breeds or create new ones. It isn’t that hard to do. 

Guess what happened during Prohibition. Did people stop drinking alcohol?

This is why I promote responsible dog ownership and reasonable dog laws. People will always work around bans. People get tough dogs to defend themselves. People breed tough dogs to make money because they don't have the skills to do otherwise. If you want to reduce bad outcomes, it starts with changing the hearts of others, starting with yourself. No law can do that. Yes, you can lock away the criminals, and that does have some effect. But as neglect increases, and as lawlessness increases, criminals move in, and people see their lives at risk (financially and physically), they will ignore your laws and do what they need to do to survive. 

Animal welfare starts with helping others. Most of these blighted areas are ruled by drug dealing criminal organizations. You need to offer a better solution, starting with economic opportunities, reduced development regulations, investments in good policing, fix the broken infrastructure, fix the broken schools and ensure the students are learning, and bring in the churches to give people hope. Stop pontificating from your ivory tower, as you sip your latte and wag your heads, as if that makes any material difference. Peaceful, happy, family-oriented neighborhoods don't have these problems.